Jennifer Millea

Did you know that Connecticut has had a family and medical leave act in place since 1990,three years before Congress passed the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)? These laws allow workers to take leave from work when they have a serious illness, or need to take care of an ill family member, an injured service member, or a new child. With only 16% of employers providing paid leave, usage of the law remains low, as most workers cannot afford to take time from work unpaid.

Today, more than one in four adults in America is caring for a loved one who needs help, usually a parent. Here in Connecticut, more than 486,000 residents are providing unpaid care for a loved one. In fact, if you aren't already a caregiver, chances are, you will be one day. Many times an adult child is cast suddenly into this role after an aging parent suffers a fall or a medical crisis. But more often, a parent or loved one’s need for support happens gradually and may not be so obvious. The holidays are a great time to assess how elderly family members are doing to determine if they may need some extra help.

Do you want to see your electric bill increase by an average of $150 a year – with the bulk being charged before you turn on a single light?

AARP Connecticut and the Hispanic Federation have renewed their partnership to improve health care access for Latinos across Connecticut.

AARP Connecticut is once again providing financial support to help qualified individuals over age 50 participate in Encore! Hartford - an intensive four-month workforce development program that assists unemployed, underemployed or dislocated seasoned Connecticut corporate professionals to transition their skills and experience into managerial and professional jobs in the nonprofit sector.

Guest Blog By Kim Sirois Pita --

An excerpt from Joanne’s story: “After my Dad died in 1993, I became the primary caregiver for my mom, Anna. And, when mom’s health declined… leading to a series of hospitalizations and rehabilitation stays, my role evolved. I was the point person coordinating Mom’s medication, hospital and health care visits – and making sure mom had homemade Italian meals every day…”

This election day, Connecticut voters will be asked to vote on a Constitutional Amendment that would remove constitutional restrictions on absentee ballots and allow state lawmakers to change election laws to enact some form of early voting. The Amendment question will appear on all Connecticut ballots this election day – November 4, 2014. AARP Connecticut is supporting this Amendment as a way to encourage more citizens to participate in the voting process.

Join us on November 15, 2014 for AARP Night at the Bridgeport Sound Tigers as they take on the Hartford Wolf Pack and we help recognize Connecticut's more than 486,000 family caregivers during National Caregiving Month. Discount tickets are available for AARP members and their guests (see details below).

Energize Connecticut recently launched a new video series on its website, EnergizeCT.com, to help Connecticut residents understand the value of energy efficiency and make smart energy choices. According to Energize Connecticut, the overall goal of the series is to help residents get the most efficient energy performance out of their home or small business so that they can start saving money on their monthly energy bills.